Gandana
The Gandana are the priests and clerics of the Vultani, and the leaders of the Great Hunt Focus The Gandana worship Bihran-Bohr, the Vultani Goddess of war and of the hunt. Symbol The Gandana have no official symbol, though they often wear a wooden charm with the symbol of Bihran-Bohr ''carved into it- four vertical lines over a circle (a stylized claw) Primary Stats St/ In Skills Must forsake 2 levels Customary Garb The Gandana have no standard uniform, and dress in clothes favoured by their particular tribe. Occasionally, when going into battle, they will dress in thick leather hides. From the moment they are initiated, they dye their skin with a mixture of blood and red-woad- every part of them save the eyes and lips. This dye lasts a lifetime, and gives them a demonic appearance. They also sport their tribal tattoos, and add a tattoo every time their tribe gains a great victory under her leadership. Many of them go into battle topless. When on a hunt, the Gandana go naked, except for the fur of their prey. They often wear other parts of the animal too, such as the teeth or horns. Membership Requirements A prospective Gandana must have a ST of 90 or over, and an IN of 85. A Gandana must be chosen by the current Gandana and the chief at the age of five, and trained until adulthood. There can be only one Gandana. The apprentice is only given the honour once the current Gandana dies or steps down. Most Gandana retire at 45, ensuring that there is always somebody strong and healthy enough to do the job. Restrictions Only Vultani Females are allowed to be Gandana. As mentioned, each tribe has only one Gandana. Anybody with a disability or from a dishonoured family is prohibited from being a Gandana Structure There is only one Gandana per tribe. As the Gandana approaches 30, they must choose an apprentice (Ulgandana) from the children of the village, and begin to train them. Most apprentices start at 5, and are trained for 15 years before their mentor retires. The Gandana enjoys a lot of power in the village, and is second only to the chief. It is considered a great honour to be chosen as the Gandana, and they often houses which rival those of the tribal leader. In all matters of war, the Vultani consult the Gandana, and even the chief will yield to her orders. Few Gandana will have children, though they are not prohibited from doing so. Most do not desire children, as they are dependant and interfere with the Gandana’s duty. Those who do want children generally wait till they retire. Should one give birth to a daughter before the age of 25, the offspring is nearly always chosen as the apprentice. The apprentice moves into the Gandana’s hut, and spends most of her days sparring and training in weapons. She accompanies the Gandana on every hunt, and in most battles. Often, if the Gandana is ill, the Ulgandana will take over temporarily. When a Gandana retires she will usually remain in the village, training the new generation of warriors. Those who are still considered healthy and strong may return to the ranks of the Mabatuba. Philosophy/Purpose They are the priestesses and paladins of the Vultani, and serve two main functions. In times of peace they are in charge of the Tubabohra- the great hunt. This hunt occurs once a month, or more frequently when food is scarce. The leads the hunt, which often consists of most of the Mabatuba warriors, and the chief. The purpose of the hunt is to gather enough food for the month ahead. In preparation, the Gandana will bathe in the blood of the animals the Vultani hope to kill, and offer a prayer to Bihran-Bohr. The ritual usually lasts a few hours, and the warriors will stand around the bathing Gandana and chant and knock their spears together. In the rare occasions that the Gandana has no samples of the required blood, she will bathe in the blood of a foe or, rarely, a tribal criminal. In really desperate times, she will offer a small part of her own blood to the goddess. The hunt is not always solely for food- sometimes the Vultani wish to hunt down an enemy, in which case the Gandana bathes in the blood of the species (for example, the Pachacaca). If they are hunting an outcast or criminal, the priestess will take small samples of blood from the prey’s family. In times of war the Gandana becomes official commander and war-chief of the tribe. The chief, generally in charge of domestic affairs, takes her orders from the Gandana. Traditionally, only the chief is allowed to command the tribe, so the chief acts as the Gandana’s mouth. The Gandana will be in charge of tactics, and assign leaders to units, and generally control the entire campaign. However, many listen to their chiefs, especially the wiser chiefs. In the rare occasions when several tribes join together, the oldest Gandana will take charge. If leadership is disputed, there will be a ritual non-lethal duel, followed by a tribal vote. Before any battle, a captured foe is sacrificed. The Gandana will then bathe all the tribe’s weapons, individually, in the blood and bless them in the name of Bihran-Bohr. She will also bless each warrior with Bihran-Bohr’s protection before the fight. The Gandana’s final purpose is to train the Mabatuba, the elite warriors. This includes the chief. These training sessions will usually occur once a week, followed by a great feast. It is also the Gandana who initiates each new warrior into the Mabatuba. Holy Days The Vultani have two main holy days. The first is the Uhmbalinka (Wolf-Moon), which occurs every 13 moons, usually around Secptember time. This is the time sacred to Bihran-Bohr, and lasts three days. For three days the Mabatuba leave the village, led by the Gandana. A vast hunt takes place, in which each member of the party is expected to bring down at least one prey. The purpose is to stockpile the food and fill the granary in time for winter. On the third day there is a large outdoor feast, and a small portion is dedicated to the goddess. The Wolf-Moon is often the day for the official initiation of new Mabatuba, and often serves as their first hunt. Anybody born on this day is considered blessed, and to receive the strength and wisdom of the Goddess. The other holy-day is known as Uhmbanala (Ghost Moon), and takes place exactly two moons after the Wolf-Moon. The Ghost Moon is the time of the ancestors, and is believed to be the time when the Vultani dead return to exact vengeance. The three days are considered to be a time of fear, and it is forbidden to leave the village at this time, unless absolutely necessary. The Uhmbada spends the duration of the three days chanting and appeasing the spirits. Any child born on this day is considered cursed- likely to be a great warrior but die young. Marriages and Initiations are forbidden on this day, and all the tribe paint their faces black to repel the ghosts. Spell Lists The Gandana have access to the following lists: *Battlefield Healing *Hunting Mastery *Holy Weapon *Arrow of might *And the choice of two ''Ranger lists. Background Points Steel Weapon 5 Holy Weapon 10 Talisman of Protection (+5 DB) 10 Born on Uhmbalinka (+5 ST, +5 IN) 25 Born on Uhmbanala (+5 ST, -10 CO) –5 Category:Groups Category:Shamans Category:Clerics Category:Religious Category:Belestar Category:Vultani Category:Gandana